It's based on a true story set in the small, east Texas town of Carthage, where Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), a mortician who is gay, sings in the local Methodist church and gives caring attention to older widows, befriends Marjorie Nugent (Shirley McClaine), an 81-year-old widow who is also a millionaire. After several years of accompanying her on various trips to far-flung places and serving her every whim, he snaps after too much nagging and put-downs and shoots her. Being a dedicated mortician, he stores her body in a freezer in her garage rather than disposing of it. He then carries on with his life, donating much of the money he gets from her account and making excuses for her absence.
Eventually the local district attorney (Matthew McConaughey) investigates and finds the body. Bernie confesses his crime, saying it was like someone else doing it. Clearly, in the film's interpretation at least, it was not premeditated. Nevertheless, a jury from another town convicts him of first-degree murder, and he's sent to prison for life.
Black gives a good performance and shows off his singing ability. But what makes the film work and provides the laugh-out-loud humor are the interviews with townsfolk in Carthage who by turns adore and admire Bernie. They overlook his homosexuality, more impressed with how nice he was to everyone. The townspeople's heavy accents and colorful language, such as "that dog don't hunt" or "he only shot her with four bullets, not five," are funny but also endearing.
Although many may look down on these people, the film reveals a community that is quite complex, able to include a variety of people and absorb a variety of emotions. These people don't hold onto stereotypical prejudices. Many of them embrace a gay man who murdered an old woman and believe he should be exonerated.
Granted, much of the film feels over-the-top. It's that rare film that doesn't feel realistic but is actually based on facts. One more evidence that truth is often stranger than fiction.
I understand that some Carthage citizens, including the district attorney, and relatives of Ms. Nugent, disagree with the film's interpretation of events. It's not a documentary, more a mockumentary. But it's not quite that either. Is it a dark comedy? Yes and no.
It's one more fine film by Linklater, who has also made Dazed and Confused, Waking Life and the outstanding Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.
If you happen to go, be sure to stay through the credits. You get to see the real Bernie, conversing from prison with Jack Black.
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